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Lessons & Activities

Lesson Plans

Introduction to Latitude and Longitude
Students in grades K-2 look at lines of latitude and longitude on a map of the U.S. and discuss why the lines are helpful. They also discuss how temperature varies with latitude.

Mapping Our Neighborhoods, Mapping AmericaStudents in grades 6-12 read an article and interpret an associated map showing local data from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey to learn where immigrants have settled in the U.S. during the last ten years. Answer six data analysis questions using both resources.

Education Resources
The US Geological Survey offers many lessons, activities, and teacher packets for K-12 classrooms.

Google Earth LessonsThis site aids teachers using Google Earth in their classrooms. Some of the links are dead, but the site is still worth investigating. NOTE: the site is not affiliated with Google.

Historic Maps and LessonsChicago’s Newberry Library offers maps and lessons for gradesK-12, covering the themes of exploration and encounter, migration and settlement, environmental history, transportation, political and military, and communities.

Background Resources

Map Making Guides

Teaching with Infographics | A Student Project Model
A social studies teacher with years in middle school and high school classrooms characterizes herself as a “fanatic” about using infographics in education. In this series of blog entries, she describes ways to use infographics.

GeoThentic Online EnvironmentDesigned to use geographic technology to make and justify decisions about contemporary issues: for example, where to build a hospital in San Francisco based on seismic activity and population density. Teachers can sign up for a free account.

Statistics for Making Maps

Expanding the Concept of Mapping

Galaxy Zoo: An Atlas of the UniverseThis web page features nine main maps, each one approximately ten times the scale of the previous. The first map begins with the nearest stars and then the other maps slowly expand until the entire visible universe is shown.

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